Usage of Finalize

Finalize has been frequently castigated as an unnecessary neologism or as U.S. government gobbledygook. It appears to have first gained currency in Australia (where it has been acceptable all along) in the early 1920s. The U.S. Navy picked it up in the late 20s, and from there it came into widespread use. It is a standard formation (see -ize). Currently, it is most frequently used in government and business dealings; it usually is not found in belles-lettres.

Examples of finalize in a Sentence

They are finalizing their divorce this week.
We bought our tickets and finalized our vacation plans.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finalize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.